Wood heel concaving machines



Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD 2,725,581

WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES Filed Jan. 27, 1955 14 Sheets-Sheet l Ge orge Pic/rfa fd B y Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD woon HEEL coNcAvING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1955 QW E@ 4 ,.L v v .Y im@ Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 27, 1955 Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD 2,725,581

woon HEEL coNcAvING MACHINES Filed Jan 27, 1955 14 .'Sheecs-SheekI 4 Inventor Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD woon HEEL coNcAvING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 27, 1955 Inl/67H01" Goo rgc Pic/(ford By fz J A zt Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD 2,725,581

WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES Filed Jan. 27, 1955 1.4 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD 2,725,581

WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES Filed Jan. 27, 1955 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKr-ORD WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Jan. 27, 1955 l nun IIHIIHIIIIIII l Inventar Geo/9e Pick/bra By his Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD 2,725,581

WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES Filed Jan, 27, 1955 14 sheets-sheet 9 @afl Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD woon HEEL coNcAvING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet lO Filed Jan. 27, 1955 E smb www@ Wm 4%@ @N51 www .www @wir E Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD 2,725,581

WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES med Jan. 27, 1955 14 sheets-sheet 11 .7m/en for George Pz'ff ford .B9 /l I i f, weft,

Dec. 6, 1955 G. PlcKFoRD woon HEEL coNcAvING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Shea?l l2 Filed Jan. 27, 1955 zz/@n for" George Pz'ckford Dec. 6, 1955 G. PICKFORD I a 2,725,581

WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES Filed Jan. 27, 1955 14 Sheets-Sheet 13 5220, 65a /672/@277/ I La... l L.;

ulm I zven for Ge o Dec. 6, 1955 G, PlCKl-ORD 2,725,581

WOOD HEEL CONCAVING MACHINES Filed Jan. 27, 1955 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 George Pick/ord United States Patent O WGOD HEEL CONCAVING: MACHINES George Pickford, Beverly', Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. l., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 27, 1955, Serial No. 484,364

34 Claims. (Cl. 12--46) This invention relates to machines` for concaving wood heel blanks and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the general type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,038,636, granted April 28, 1956, on an application tiled in the name of Walter W. Bradbury.

The attaching face or cup of a heel formed or' concaved by the use of the machine disclosed in said Patent No. 2,038,636 has a. longitudinal median portion which, with the exception of its rear endv part, is substantially equidistant from the plane of the rim of the attaching face of the heel and is accordingly of uniform depth. In the manufacture of Womens shoes it is common practice to fit the heel seat portion ofthe shoe for the reception of a wood heel and this consists in trimming material from the heel seat portion of an attached outsole of the shoe to form a heel seat tab which, in the finished shoe, lies in the concavity of the attaching face of the heel, and to form a pair of heel breast receiving shoulders against which the upper lateral corner portions of the breast of the heel abut. Outsoles of shoes are not of uniform thickness and the heel seat tabs formed upon said outsoles, especially when said outsoles are fitted by hand, vary in shape and in addition to being beveled at their lateral margins are frequently beveled rearward from their heel breast lines.

In the finished shoe the rim or edge portion of the attaching face of the covered heel, Awhich portion consists of a planar land of uniform width, should snugly engage and be lirmly pressed into the overlasted counter por' tion of the shoe in order to insure that the heel shall merge smoothly with the shoe. Moreover, the heel seat tab which, as above stated, lies in the concavity of the attaching face of the heel of the finished shoe, is relied `upon substantially to fill the ,concavity in the attachingface of the heel and thus provide a solid base vfor the rear end of the shoe upper. l

Because of diiferences in thickness of the outsoles of shoes and diierences in the types and shapes of heel seat tabs formed upon said outsoles, said tabs rarely lill up the attaching faces of the heels as they should, with the result that, when the shoe is Worn, the heel of the wearer bearing against the heel end of the insole of the shoe, causes the insuciently supported heel seat of the shoe, which heel seat includes the tab, to drop or sag into the attaching face of the heel. vWhen this Vconditionexists the shoe becomes uncomfortable because the heel portion of the insole is then somewhat deformed due to its dropping into the unfilled portion or concavity of the attaching face of the heel, thus tending, especially in shoes having high heels, to cause the heel end of the ,shoe .to lose its shape and to become somewhat unstable under pressure of the heel of the wearer.

With the foregoing and other drawbacks, for example imperfect wood heel nailing conditions and breakage of heels due to the fact that the heel seat tabs fail suiciently to lill the attaching faces. of the-heels, in view there have been `proposed constructionsv in which the heel seat. por

2,725,581 Patented Dec. 6, 1955 tions of' the outsoles of shoes are especially trimmed to' register in-intertit'ted relation with especially prepared cavities in the attaching faces of the heels. None of such construct-ions, however, has been found to be commercially practicable because' of the expense involved in forming these prepared cavities and also becausethe operators fail to exercisethe properv care necessary in the fitting of the heel seat tab for'regist-ryfiny these cavities. g

It is an object of the present inventiontoprovide a heel blank concaving machine adapted quickly and ef fectively to form heels having'attaching faces provided with planar marginal lands which are of uniform width and having concavities which4 are definedy by said lands and which are of decreasing depth rearwardly from their breast edges. It is another object of the present invention to provide a machine in which the depths of the concavities formed in the attaching faces of the heels may be readily varied and in which vthe rate at which the concavitgies decrease in depth as they extend rearward from the breast edges of the heels may be varied.

With the above objects in view I have provided a concaving machine comprising a support having a substantially planar face, a rotary cutter having peripheral cutting edges, a locus of which extends beyond said face, a gage, mea-ns forV effecting movement of a Work piece, forexample, a Wood heel blank, with an edge thereof in engagement with said gage, in a predetermined path over said face of the support in traversing relation to said edges of the cutter to cause a surface of the work piece, for example an upper end of the heel blank, to be concaved. In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the illustrative machine is provided with mechanism which is operated in timed relation to Ythe work piece moving means, for effecting relative translatory movement of the cutter and the support at approximately right angles to said face ofthe support whereby to vary the amount of projection of the locus of theA cutting edges of the cutter beyond said face, and is also provided with mechanism, which is responsive to said relative translatory movement of the cutter and thesupport, for maintaining a constant distance between the gage and an intersection of the plane of the support and the locus of the cutting edges of the cutter irrespective ofthe amount that'said locus projects beyond said face. i

The support has the form of a horizontal table which is mounted for vertical movement with relation to the cutter and through a slotin which the cutter extends in projecting relation above a horizontal planar Work supporting face of the table. The cutting vedges of the Vcutter lie in a toroidal surface 4constituting the locus of said edges, centers of transverse curvature of said toroidal surface being arranged V`in a circle which constitutes the locus of said centers.

The gage in a Vpreferred embodiment of the invention is xedly positioned on the table and extends .over one end portion lof the slot with a planar face thereof arranged opposite the cutter. The heel blank to be concaved is automaticallypositioned and clamped in a jack which is moved, by mechanism similar to that disclosed in said Patent No. 2,038,636, in a closed path with the rim of the upper end of the blank in engagement with said planar face of the gage, thereby causing the upper end of the blank to traverse the cutter with the result that said upper end is concaved to-form the wood heel.

In order that the wood heel shall have an attaching face which is of tapering depth rearward from its breast, it is desirable that the cutter project different distances above the planar face of the table during diiierent portions of the heel blank `concaving operation, and accordingly the table, as above explained, is raised and lowered by servo mechanism during the operation, the Yamount vcavity formed in the upper of vertical movement imparted to the table bysaid servo mechanism during different portions of the concaving operation being controlled by a cam which is power driven in timed relation to the jack and a contour or effective shape of which may be varied in accordance with the desired shape and depth of the attaching face of the heel to be formed from the blank. It will be apparent that when the table is raised and lowered with relation to the cutter to vary the depth of the cut in the upper end or" the wood heel blank, the distance between the planar face of the gage, which is Xed to the table, and an adjacent portion of the locus of the cutting edges of the cutter intersecting the plane of the face of the table will vary unless there is some provision for maintaining this distance constant. Accordingly, unless the abovementioned provision is present a flat land included between the conend of the heel and the rim or edge of said upper end will not be uniformly wide. Such a defect would render the heel unsalable.

With the above considerations in view the illustrative machine, in accordance with another feature of the present invention, is provided with servo mechanism operative in response to vertical movement of the table for swinging the cutter about an axis which is arranged substantially in the plane of the face of the table and lies in a plane of and is tangent to the circular locus of the centers of transverse curvature of the cutting edges of the cutter, the construction and arrangement being such that the spread of the locus of the cutting edges of the cutter above the table is constant and an adjacent end of said locus where it intersects the plane of the table is positioned a constant distance from the planar face of the gage irrespective of the heightwise position of the table and accordingly the amount of projection of the locus of the cutting edges of the cutter above said table.

By the use of the illustrative machine heels having attaching faces which are provided with marginal lands of uniform width and have concavities decreasing in depth rearwardly from their breast edges, may be quickly and effectively formed. The depth of the concavities formed in the attaching faces of the heels and the lengthwise slope of said concavities with relation to planes of the lands of said attaching faces may be readily varied in accordance with the thicknesses and shapes of the heel seat tabs formed upon the outsoles to be accommodated.

Fig. l is a front view of an illustrative machine for concaving the upper ends or faces of wood heel blanks to form wood heels;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away and on a larger scale than Fig. 1, of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a view of the machine on the line III-HI of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view on the line lV--lV of Fig. l showing a heel blank receiving jack of the machine and also showing mechanism for opening and closing the jack and for feeding a heel blank into said jack;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing details of the jack;

Fig. 6 is a view on the line VI--VI of Fig. 2 showing portions of mechanism for moving and guiding the jack;

Fig. 7 is a View on the line VII- VH of Fig. 6;

Fig. 7a is a View on the line VIIIa-Vllla of Fig. 2 showing portions of mechanism for assisting in the guiding of the jack;

Fig. 8 is a front View of a cam slide and portions of a servo unit for effecting raising or lowering of a work table of the machine;

Fig. 8a shows in longitudinal section a valve for controlling oil which is used to operate mechanism for moving the cam slide from a projected to a retracted position and for controlling the operation of the servo unit shown in Fig. 8 and also shows a wiring diagram of means responsive to movement of the cam slide for controlling said valve;

Fig. 9 is a view on the line IX--IX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line X--X of Fig. 8 illustrating a control valve of the servo unit for raising and lowering the table;

Fig. 11 is a view on the Figs. 12 and 13 are sections on the lines XHl-XIII of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a plan view showing the path of movement of the heel blank over the table and past the cutter during the concaving of the upper end or face of the heel blank;

Fig. 15 is a section on the line XV--XV of Fig. 6 showing portions of mechanism for operatively connecting the jack actuating mechanism to the cam slide;

Fig. 16 is a section on the line XVI- XVI of Fig. 3 showing portions of controlling mechanism of a servo unit for efecting swinging movement of the cutter.

Fig. 17 is an illustrative view on the line XVII-XVH of Fig. 16;

Figs. 18 and 19 show respectively in front elevation the relation of the table, and edge gage, the cutter and the heel blank during two different portions of the heel concaving operation;

Figs. 18a and 19a are plan views on the lines XVIIIa- XVIIIa and XlXa-XIXa respectively of Figs. 18 and 19, the heel shown in Figs. 18 and 19 having been removed;

Fig. 20 is a section on the line XX-XX of Fig. 16 showing portions of the controlling mechanism for the servo unit through which the swinging movement of the concaving cutter is effected;

Fig. 2l is a section on the line XXI- XXI of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a section on the line XXXI-XXII of Fig. 3 showing a mounting for an air motor which operates the cutter;

Fig. 23 is a section 22;

Figs. 24 and 25 are sections corresponding to portions of the section shown in Fig. 16 and illustrating a modified table and edge gage for use in the concaving of heel blanks to the form shown in Fig. 33;

Fig. 26 is a view on the line XXVI-XXVI of Fig. 24;

Fig. 27 shows in perspective a wood heel blank the upper end or face of which has been concaved by the rst step of a concaving operation performed by the use of the above machine;

Fig. 28 shows in perspective the partially concaved wood heel blank of Fig. 27 after a second step of the concaving operationy has been effected;

Fig. 29 shows in perspective a wood heel after theconcaving of the wood heel blank has been completed;

Fig. 30 shows the heel illustrated in Fig. 29 partially in side elevation and partially in median longitudinal section;

Figs. 3l, 32 and 33 are views similar to Figs. 27, 28 and 29 respectively showing a wood heel blank which has been concaved by the use of the machine provided with the modified table and edge gage illustrated in Figs. 24, 25 and 26; and

Fig. 34 shows a rear end portion of an inverted shgto which the heel shown in Figs. 29 and 30 has been attached, portions of said heel and heel seat of the outsole of the shoe having been broken away.

The illustrative machine is described with reference to removing material from the at upper end or face 4t) (Figs. 18, 19, 27 and 28) of a Louis wood heel blank 42, which has already been turned and grooved, to form a Louis wood heel 44 (Figs. 29, 30 and 34) having an attaching face or cup 46. The illustrative machine, slightly modified, is also described with reference to removing material from the flat upper end or face 4W1L (Figs. 31 and 32) of a Louis Wood heel -blank 42a which has been turned and grooved to form a Louis wood heel 44=L (Fig. 33) having an attaching face or cup 46a which is of slightly different shape from the heel attaching facey or cup 46. The operation, during which the heel attaching line XI--XI of Fig. l;

XII-XII and on the line XXIII-XXIII of Fig.

faces 46, 46'a are fprmed, iscommpnly referred to as the concaving2 of the Woodheel'blanks 42, 42e.

WoodI heel; blanks 42,42n are` commonly concaved' by the use of the machine disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent- 2, O3'8,636, said machine forming on"v the woodheel blanks an attaching face al longitudinalv portion ofwhich is of substantially uniform depthY for about three-quarters of `its, length from its breastedge. As above explained, the heel 44, afterhavingV a cover 48` (Fig.A 34) applied' toI it, is attached to a shoe 50 with a covered rim of its attaching face 46 firmly pressed into an overlasted counter portion 52` of an upperfof the shoe, a fitted heel seat tab 54 of an outsole 56 of the shoe-beingV included in the attaching face 46 of the heel- 44 and' upper breast corgners of the heel being in engagement with heel breast receiving shoulders 58,formed upon the outsole.

Since the'outsoles 56 ofvv shoes 50 are of different thicknesses and the heell seat; tabs 54 formed on saidoutsoles in the various factories are ofv different shapes, there has been considerable call for heels having attaching faces which willy include heel seatA tabsv 54' of different shapes and sizes and will adequately support the heel end of;- the shoe upper against sagging and which-will also allow-the rim of the attaching face of the heelto be forced slightly into the overlasted counter portion of the shoeso that saidv counter portion shall mergevatt-ractivelywith the side and rear faces of the heel of the shoe.

It, will be understood that exceptI for slight differences in the shape of its attachingface 46a, as hereinafter explained, the heel 44a is identical withv the heel 44 and the above statements relating to the heel 44 andits relation to` the shoe also apply-to the heel 44a. The side and rear faces of the wood heel blanks 42, 42a and the Wood heels 44, 44a will be collectively-referred to as the outer faces ofthe wood heel blanks and the heels.

The illustrative machine comprisesa verticallymovable multipart table 60 having a planar-or iiat upper face 62V which is horizontal and. receives the woodheel blank 42, upper end 4t) down upon-saidface 62, a rotary orcircular cutter 64 which has cutting edges 65 and extends througha slot 66 formed in the table and which projects above or beyondV said face, and apgage 63 which is positioned on the table in overlapping relation to the-slotA and adjacent to the cutter. Thefpresent machine, as in the case'of the machine disclosedin said-Patent-No; 2,038,636, isiprovided with a-jack or carrier- 70 (Figs. 1', 2, 4and'5) inA which the heel blank 42,(supported on the face 62 of the table 60, is automatically positioned and-secured, and by the use of which said blank is moved over said face of the table with a rim 47` (-Figs; 5, 27 and'28)v on the flat upperend- 4t) of the heel inr forcedl sliding engagement with a` at surface 72 of the gage 68, in a predetermined path 74 (Figs. 4 and-,14) past the cutter-64, toform the attaching face 46 of the heel 44. The jack 70, as hereinafter explained, is bodily-yieldable awayfrom the flat face 72 of the gage 68 to insure the proper-sliding engagement between the heel carried by the jackr and the gage 68. The heel blank 42 is automatically fed to the jack 70 by a loader 76 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) operated in timed relation with the jack. The operator-placesl the heel blank 42k in the loader 76 while the prior heel blank isl being concaved, said blank in the loader beingfed automatically to the jack after an ejector finger 78 (Figs. 4 and 5) of thejack has removed the concaved heel 44- from the machine.

In orderto provide the-heel 44-l with the attachingface 46 which, as best shown inFig. 30, is of decreasingdepth rearward from its breast or forward end, the-table-), during the first and lasty portionsV of the heel blank concavingoperation, is raised and lowered respectively at right angles toits face 62 with relation to the rotary cutter 64 by hereinafter described mechanism comprising-a motor 80 (Figs. l, 2, 3 and 1l) of aservo unit 81 responsive to follower lmechanism 82- operated by a multipartcam 84 (Figs. 1, 8v and 9),mounted1upona slide 86 movable in timedrelation with the jack 70; Itf is desira- 6 ble, for reasons which will be explained later, that the width ofiv ribs-Yorlands`881(Figy 29s), 88B (Fig. 33)., which are formed atthe rims of? the peripheral-y portions of the attaching faces 46, 46?-` of the heels 44, 44a and are pressed into overlastedy counter portionsl 52v ofthe shoes StG-shall be uniform.

It will be apparent that if the cutter 64 shouldl remain in a constant operatingposition during the` concaving operation while-the table 60 is raised and lowered with relation to the cutter, a distance 9il-(Fi'gs. 18, 19, 18a: and 19a) between the planarsurface 72 of the gage GSl and an adjacent point of intersection 92fof a plane of the face62` of the table and an arc 94', which lies in a locus 91 (Figs. 17, 18a and 19a) of the cutting edges 65 of thecutte1'-and passes through an infinite number of points spaced greatest; distancesvertically from the faceV of the table, would vary and accordingly the-land 38L formed on the heel 44 would not be of uniform Width. A remote pointl ofintersection of the plane ofthe face 62 off the table 60 and the arc 94 is indicatedl byreference numeral 92E. With the above considerations inv View the cutter 64, as Will-be explained in detail later,lisswung in timed relation to the rise and-fall of the table 60- about aixed horizontal axis 93 (Figs. l, 2, 3, 17 and 19a), which is included inta general plane 99fof` rotation of the-cutter 64 and which is parallel and arrangedlin close-proximity to the face 62 of the table,- the construction and arrangement beingsuch that throughout the concaving operation the distance- ^re mains constant irrespective of theheightwise position of the table. The-arc-94-represents theline along whichlthe cutter penetrates deepestl into` the work and may bereferred to as alineof maximum cutting depth of the cutter.

The cutting edges 65' off the-cutter 64 lie inthe locus 91 which is ofY toroiclaly shape and maybe referred to as a toroidall surface. Radial planes 93 (Fig. 18a) through thecutter64 intersect the locus 91 along circular'y lines`- 95 (onlyfoneshown), each having a center of curvature97 which, during rotation of thefcutter, generates.- a circleor circularA locus 101 (Figs. 18 andi 19a). Each ofthe cutting.k edges 65 of. the cutter 64 lies in al plane whichv is skewedv with relation to the general plane 99 of rotation of the cutter and has-substantiallyfthe form of an ellipse a=center of which lies in the locus 101. Centers of curvature 97 of the circular` lines 95? which lie inthe toroidal surface 91 may be described as the centers-of transverse curvature of the toroidal surface or the-locus of rotation 91 of the cutting edges6S.

The cuttery 64, as Will. be hereinafter explained, isinitially positioned in the-machine so that the plane of'the locus or--circle 101` includes andis tangent to theaxis 98 which isparallel to the face 62 of the table 66. Accordingly, the axis-98 may be described as lying in the plane-of the locus or circle 101 and-as beingtangent to said locus ore circle and substantially parallel to theface 62 ofthe table 60; When,- during the-concaving of the-Wood heel blank 42, the table 60 is raised and loweredrelativelyto the-cutter64, the-face 62 of the table israsedor-lowered with relation to the axis 9S, said-face remainingv parallel to itself and at all -times being located in thegeneral vicinity of or in close proximity to said axis.

It will be noted (Fig. 18a), that when the rotary vcutter 64S is so arranged that. its general plane of rotation 99 forms a right angle with the face-62 of'the tabley 60; the arc 94 of maximum cutting-depth lies in a great'circlelS ofthe locus 91.- When theheel blank 42 ory 42a is rst presented to the cutter 64l the general plane of` rotation 99 of the cutter isusually disposedv at approximatelya right angle to the face 62` of the table 60. During the concaving operation the cutter- 64 may be swung to an extreme position in which its-generalplane of-rotation99 and'accordinglythe great circle 105 ofthe locusA 91, which great. circle is coincident with saidplaneof rotation, are disposedfat an angle ofabout 30degrees tothe Yface 62 of the table-60;k It-=Will benotedthat-when the-general plane ysecured to said gear box.

of rotation 99 of the cutter 64 is disposed` at an acute angle to the face 62 of the table (Fig. 19a) the arc 94 is not included in a plane as it is in Fig. 18a, the center of said arc in Fig. 19 being located farther away from the great circle 105 than are the end portions of the arc which intersect the plane of the face 62 of the table 60.

It will be noted that the points of intersection 92, 92a of the arc 94 with the plane of the face 62 of the table 60 shift slightly forward and rearward of the table along lines 107, 107a respectively, which are parallel to the surface 72 of the gage 68, as the cutter is swung about the axis 98 and accordingly it is desirable that said surface 72 shall be of substantial length so as to be arranged opposite and equidistant from said points of intersection. It is with the above considerations in view that the work engaging face 72 of the gage 68 is ilat instead of being convex as are the work engaging faces of the prior concaving machines of the general type herein disclosed.

Pivotally mounted upon a bearing 100 (Figs. 2 and 3) secured to a main frame 104 of the machine is a horizontal suspension arm 106 which is integral with and may be described as carrying a gear box 108 for housing jack supporting and feeding apparatus 110 (Figs. l, 6, 7 and 15) and which is movable about an axis 112 of said bearing. The suspension arm 106 is constantly urged clockwise as viewed from above and when the machine is idle is held in engagement with a stop screw 114 (Figs. l, 2 and 7a), which is threaded into the main frame 104, by the following mechanism. Pivoted upon a shoulder screw 116 secured to the gear box 108 is a link 118 operatively connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 120 fulcrumed on a shoulder screw 121 secured to the main frame 104. Pivoted to the other arm of the bell crank lever 120 is a link 122 having a slot 123 through which projects a pin 124 mounted on a weight carrier 125 journaled upon a bearing pin 126 secured to the main frame 104. Mounted upon the weight carrier 125 is a heavy weight 127 having formed integral with it an arm 128 provided with notches 129 any one of which is adapted to receive the bearing pin 126, the weight being so positioned on the carrier 125 that the pin 124 is constantly urged counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 in order constantly to urge, by the above described mechanism, the gear box 108 toward the stop screw 114. The force with which the gear box 108 is forced against the stop screw 114 may be varied by moving the weight 127 into diiferent active positions upon the carrier 125. When the machine is in the process of concaving the wood heel blank 42 or 42aL the suspension arm 106 is not in contact with the stop screw 114 but has been forced away from said screw by reason of pressure exerted against the planar face 72 of the edge gage 78 by the rim 47 of the upper end 40 of the blank 42 or by a rim 47a `(Fig. 32) of the upper end 40a of the blank 42a which blanks are clamped respectively in the jack 70 and are guided in the path 74.

Freely slidable and rotatable in the gear box 108 of the suspension arm 106 is an ovoid-shaped gear 130 (Figs. l, 6 and 7) a portion of which has an outline generally similar to that of the rims 47, 47a of the wood heel blanks 42, 42a respectively. The gear 108 has an upstanding flange 131 provided with a smooth outer face 132 which at all times is held in forced engagement with two rolls 134, 136, the roll 134 being secured to a vertical shaft 138 rotatably mounted in the gear box 108 and the roll 136 being rotatable on a bearing shaft 140 The shaft 134, which has secured to it a pinion 142 meshing with the ovoidshaped gear 130, is driven by a pulley 144 (Figs. l and 2). Power for driving the pulley 144 is supplied by a belt 146 from a pulley 148 secured to the upper end of a drive shaft 150 rotatably mounted in the bearing 100. Secured to the lower end of the shaft 150 is a bevel gear 152 which is driven by a bevel gear 154 operatively connected to a shaft 156 of an electric motor 158. As will be explained later, when the motor 158 is powered the machine operates automatically through continuous cycles, the wood heel blanks 42 or 42a being placed by hand successively in the heel loader 76. Inorder to stop the machine the operator shuts olf the motor 158 by the use of a switch 160, the machine then coming to rest at any portion of its cycle.

The ovoid-shaped gear has a smooth innner face 162 (Figs. 6 and 7) against which pressure is exerted by a roll 164 rotatably mounted on the lower end of a shaft 166 which is carried by one arm of a bell crank lever 168 fulcrumed on a bearing pin 170 secured to the gear box 108 and which projects through a large hole 172 in the ,top of the gear box. The lever 168 is constantly urged clockwise, as viewed from above, by a strong spring 174 opposite ends of which are attached respectively to the lever and to a bolt 176 threaded into a lug of the gear box 108. lt will thus be apparent that the roll 164 is at all times forced against the upstanding flange 131 of the ovoid-shaped gear 130 causing it to engage the rolls 134, 136 while the pinion 142 rotates the gear.

The ovoid-shaped gear 130 has a depending tube portion to which is secured by screws 177 (Figs. 6, 7 and l5) a pinion 178 which, as will be hereinafter explained, is operatively connected to mechanism adapted to cooperate with mechanism best shown in Figs. 11 and l2 for operating the cam carrying slide 86. Carried by and slidingly mounted in the depending tube portion of the gear 130 is a coupling 180 having formed in it an elongated slot 182 (Fig. 7) through which passes a pin 184 secured to said tube portion. When the machine is idle the upper end of the slot 182 formed in the coupling engages the pin 184, said coupling being constantly depressed by a spring 186 upper and lower ends of which engage respectively a nut 188, which is threaded into the gear 130, and the upper end of the coupling. The coupling 180 and the depending portion of the gear 130 may be referred to as telescoping parts of a drive, one of said parts being constantly urged toward the table 60 by the spring 186. The coupling 180 has formed at its lower end a dovetail rib 190 shaped and arranged to be received in a dovetail slot 192 (Fig. S) formed in an up- .per slide 194 having in its lower surface a dovetail guide shaped and arranged to be received in a dovetail slot 196 in a lower slide 198 which carries the jack 70. In order that the jack 70 may be initially moved into different adjusted positions with relation to the depending portion of the ovoid-shaped gear 130, the upper slide 194 is adjustable on the coupling 180 after releasing a set screw 200 which is threaded into the upper slide and normally bears against said depending portion, and the lower slide 198 is adjustable on the upper slide by the use of an adjusting screw 202 which is rotatably mounted in the lower slide and is threaded into the upper slide.

The lower slide 19S has secured to it two depending pins 208 (Figs. 4 and 5) on which a guide 210 is mounted The lower slide 198, the pins 208 and the guide 210 are rigidly secured together and may be considered as a holder for supporting and guiding the various moving parts of the jack 70. Rotatably mounted upon the pins 208 are finger levers 212, 21211. The lever 212B4 has threaded into it two adjustable lingers 214- for engaging one side of the heel blank 42 or 42a and the lever 212 has a linger 214 similar to the fingers 21484 and also has a finger 214b which is adjustable in the lever 212 and is yieldable outward by spring action (not shown) away from the heel blank in the machine. The lingers 214, 2142- and 214b point downwardly in predetermined directions and have inserted in recesses in their lower ends leather plugs for engaging the heel blank.

The levers 212, 212a are constantly urged by a spring 216 (Fig. 4) to their open or heel blank receiving positions, ,said spring serving to force follower rolls 218, 218a carried respectively by the'levers 212, 212*L into engagement with a diverging cam portion 220 of a bar 222 Y slidable in a guideway 224 of the guide 210.. The cam portion 220 of the bar 222 comprises vfaces/228,230 which are arranged parallel to the guideway `224 and are connected by forwardly diverging faces 232,. When the bar 222, actuated by mechanism hereinafter described, is in its forward position therolls 218, 218a are in engagement with the cam faces 230V of the bar 222, the fingers 2148l on the one hand and 214, 214lo on the other hand being in open positionsv in which the heel blank 42 or 42a is fed into the jack 70 by the heel loader 76. When thebar 2,22 is in itsrearwardmost position the rolls 218, 218 are in engagement'with the faces 228 of the bar 222 and the fingers 214, 214a, 214b are forced against the sides of the heel blank 42 or 42a a breast of which is in engagement with back gage portions 234 of the guide 210 of the above-mentioned holder.'-

The bar 222 has shoulders 236, 238 which contact theguide 210 of the lower slide 198 to limit rearward and forward movements, respectively, of the bar and carries at its'rear end a roll 240 adapted to fit in a notch 242 formed in one end of a lever 244 journaled on a bearing pin 246 secured to said lower slide. The lever 244 also has mounted on it rolls 248, 250 which, as will be hereinafter described, engage a fixed abutment 252 (Figs. l and 4) which is carried by a lever 256, to effect rearward and forward sliding movement, respectively,rof the bar 222, that is, movement of the bar to the left and to the right as viewed in Fig. 4. Secured to the forward end of the bar 222 is the ejector 78 which-is engaged by the breast of the heel blank 42 or 42a moved into the jack 70 by the heel loader 76, said bar being moved rearward until the breast of the heel blank engages the back gage portions 234 between which the ejector slides. As will be hereinafter explained, after the concaving operation and as'the finger levers 212, 212a are opened, the ejector 78 moves rapidly forward into the space between the leversto force the heel blank, which has been concaved, from the machine. Since the jack operating abutment 252 and the mounting therefor are describedjin detail in said Patent 2,038,636 no further description of this mechanism is deemed to be necessary. n

As the jack 70, which travels through continuous cycles when the machine is powered, moves to a heel blank receiving position opposite theloader 76, s aid loader moves the heel blank 42 or 42a placed therein by the operator against the ejector 78 of the bar 222, the bar under pressure of the blank sliding rearward along the guideway 224 of the guide 210, thereby forcing the rolls 218, 218at apart4 until the fingers carried by the levers V212, 212a move into like contact with the heel blank 42 or 42B the breast of which at this time is in close proximity to the back gage portions 234 of the guide 210. As the heel blank 42 or 42a completes its movement to this position in the jack 70 the roll 248 strikes the abutment 252 thus forcing the bar 222 rearward slightly with the result that the cam faces 228 of the bar engage the follower rolls 218, 218e causing the fingers 214a on the one hand'and the fingers 214, 214b on the other hand to be forced against opposite sides respectively of the heel blank positioned in the jack and causing the breast of the heel blank to be pressed firmly against the back gage portions 234 of the guide 210. When the heel blank 42 or 42a clamped in the jack has been moved over'the upper face 62 of the table 60 and past the cutter 6,4 by a combined sliding and rotary movement with its rim 47 or 47a in engagement with the planar surface 72 of the gage 68 through successive positions A, B, C and D (Fig. 14), the roll 250, which during rotation of the jack is in an outward position, engages the abutment 252 and accordingly moves the bar 222 forward along the guide 210 so that the cam surfaces 230 of the bar are opposite the rolls 218, 218g thereby enabling the levers 212, 212a and 212b to be swung by the spring 216 to their open positions away from the heel blank andausing `the ejector 78 1,0 of the bar to force the heef' blank 42., or 42ab which has beh Operated upon, from themahine- The heel loader 76 comprises a lever 258 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) which is pivoted upon abearing pin 260 carried by aslide 262 adjustablymountedin a` guideway 259 of tlietable 60 and which is constantly urged by a torsion spring 264 to its'rest `or yidle position shown' in Fig. 4;

In order to .transfer the heel 'blank 42 or`42a to the jackv 70 the lever-,258 is moved counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 4 by the engagement of aroll`266 (Fig. 5), which is carried Vby an arm'268 secured to the lower slide 198,

' tively connected yieldingly to the' lever 258. The lever 258 carries an adjustable heelblank rest 274, which is engaged by the rear upper end of the heel blank upon the table 60, and a leaf spring holddownv 276 for retaining the heel blank 42 or 42a'in'engagement with said rest 274,l said blank beingslidV over the table into the jack 70 by counterclookwise movementof the lever. Retractive or clockwise movement of the lever 258, as viewed in Fig. 4, is cushioned by a dash pot 278. Since the` loader 76 and the mechanism for operating it are i substantially identical with corresponding mechanism disclosed in detail in said Patent 2,038,636 no further description 0f this mechanism is believed to be necessary.

The rotary cutter 64 is mounted upon a shaft v280 rotatableabout an axis 281 and projectsfupward'through the slot 66 formed in thetable 60, the edge gage 68 having its flat face 72 overlying lan end portion of said slot and positioned adjacent to the cutter. In operating the machine the operator places the heel blank 42 or 42a with its upper end 40 or 40a in engagement with the face 6,2 of the table 60 in the heelY loader 76 so that the rear end of the heel is in engagement with the rest 274 and its tread end is engaged by the Ieafsprng clamp 276. As the jack 70 moves slowlypast itsl loading and unloading station infwhich,l a heel receiving opening, formed between the fingers 214a on the one hand and the lingers 214 and 214b on the other hand, is arranged opposite the heel loader 76, the 'roll 266 of the arm 268 strikes the lever- 270 and operates said loader causing the heel blank 42 or 42a placed in the loader, to be swung over the table to force the breast of said blank against the ejector finger 78, whereby to move the bar 222 rearward and then to move said breast substantially into engagement with the back gage portions 234 of the guide 210, the fingers 214, 214a and 2141, during such movement, swinging inward into engagement with the heel blank.` Immediately after the heel blank 42 or 42a has been thus positioned in the jack 7i) the roll 248 of the arm 244 engages the abutment 252 with the result that the bar 222 is caused -to move rearward in the guideway 224, the pairs of 'fingers carried by the levers 212, 212e thereafter being moved inward with considerable pressure to clamp the positioned blank in the jack.

The lever 258 swings back to its rest position shown in Fig. 4 under the action of the torsion spring 254 as soon as the heel blank 42 or 42a has been presented to the jack 70. As the heel blank 42 or 42a clamped in the jack 70 is moved in the path 74 with its face 40 or 48B in engagement with the face 62 of theV table 60 past the cutter 64, the rim 4'7 or y47a of the heel blank engages the flat face 72 of the gage 68 which cooperates with the table and the jack inthe guiding of said blank past the cutter, lthe gear box 108and accordingly the suspension arm 106,' during such movemennbeing moved slightlygabout the axis 112 andaway from the stop screw 114 byreason of pressure of the rim 47 or 47 of the 11 t t heel blank 42 or 42a against the gage as said blank partakes of the combined translatory and rotary movement of the jack. Movement over the table 60 of the heel blank 42 or 42a, which is clamped to the jack 70, in the path 74 is continued until the roll 250 of the lever 244 strikes the abutment 252 causing the jack 70 to be opened as above described to permit the heel to be released and the ejector 78 to knock the heel 44, which has been formed from the blank 42, from the machine.

When during the operation of the machine the heel blank 42, which is clamped in the jack 70 and moves in the path 74 (Fig. 14), reaches position A the concaving cut shown in Fig. 27 is just starting, said cut progressing as the blank with its breast leading and its rim 47 in sliding engagement with the face 72 of the gage 68 traverses the cutter 64. When the heel blank 42 reaches position B the concaving cut shown in Fig. 27 has been completed and .the heel is then rotated approximately 180 in a circular portion of the path 74 with its rim still in engagement with the face 72 of the gage 68 until the blank arrives at position C thereby additionally concaving the upper end 40 of the heel to the shape shown in Fig. 28. r[he heel blank 42, the rear end of which then faces rearward, thereafter moves rearward with its rim 47 continuing to slide along the surface 72 of the gage 68 until the blank reaches position D where the concaving cut is completed to form the heel 44. After the completion of the concaving operation the heel v44 formed from the blank v42 moves out of engagement with the edge gage 68 and the suspension arm 106 moves into engagement with the stop screw 114 the heel continuing to move, rear end leading, to a position E where it is ejected by mechanism above described, the jack thereafter advancing to its loading and unloading station opposite the loader 76 where it receives the next heel blank 42 to be concaved.

As above explained, it is desirable to form in the upper end 40 of the wood heel blank 42 an attaching face 46 which is of diminishing depth rearward from its breast. Accordingly, the table 60 of the illustrative machine, as above stated, is moved heightwise in timed relation to the jack 70 during the concaving operation by the use of mechanism which will now be described in detail.

The table 60 has a depending front apron 284 (Figs. l, 2, 3, and 1l) provided with a dovetail guideway 286 tting slidingly on a vertical dovetail guide 288 of the main frame 104. The table 60 is supported in a predetermined but variable horizontal position by a fluid-pressure operated piston 290 which is slidable in the motor 80 of the servo unit 81 and is pivotally connected to the lower end of the apron 284 of the table. In order to balance the weight of the table 60 and the mechanism supported by said table the depending apron 284 has attached to its lower end a strong spring 294 the upper end of which is attached to the main frame 104. Upper and lower chambers 296, 296a (Fig, ll) which are lled with oil and are formed by the piston 290 and the casing of the motor 80 are intermittently connected to sources of high and low pressure oil in accordance with the setting of a valve 298 of the servo unit 81. The operation of the valve 298, as will be hereinafter described, is controlled by the multipart cam 84 which is carried by and may be initially adjusted with relation to the slide 86, said slide being movable transversely along a guideway 300 (Figs. 1, 8 and ll) formed in the lower front portion of the main frame 104.

The slide 86 has secured to it by screws 302 a rack 304 meshing with a pinion 306 which is mounted on a shaft 308 journaled in a bearing 310 secured to a boss of the main frame 104 and which is supported by said bearing. Formed integral with the pinion 306 is a coupling ring 312 (Figs. ll and l2) having three recesses 314 which, during a concaving portion of the cycle of the machine, are engaged by teeth 316 of a coupling sleeve 318 provided with elongated slots 320 adapted to receive a pin 322 extendingy through and secured` to the shaft 308. interposed between the pin 322 and aflanged portion of the coupling sleeve 318 is a spring 324 which constantly urges the coupling sleeve against the coupling ring 312. When the slide`86 engages a stop screw 326 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and ll) threaded into the main frame 104 the recesses 314of the coupling ring 312 are arranged respectively in receptive adjac'ency to the teeth 316 of the coupling sleeve 318y which is rotatable with the shaft 308. rlhe shaft Y308 isA operatively connected by a flexible shaft 328 (Figs.1, 2, il and l5) ,to a stub shaft 330 (Figs. 6 and 15) rotatable in the outer ends of arms 332, 334 which are journaled respectively upon the depending portion of the gear box 108 vand a bearing pin 336 secured to the bottom of the gear box 108.

The cam slide 86 is moved to the right, as Viewed from the front of the machine (Figs. l and 8), from a starting or retracted position in timed relation With the ovoidshaped gear by a mechanical drive including various members referred to above and hereafter described in detail and is moved back to its retracted position from a projected position by hereinafter described lhuid-pressure means. The shaft 308 is raised by a cam 338, which is secured to a screw 340 in a channel 348 of a rearwardly extending lug 342 secured by a screw 344 to the slide 86, as said slide reaches its projected position or limit of movement to the right as viewed from the front of the machine. The screw 344 passes through an elongated slot 346 in the slide and is threaded into the llug 342, which has a vertically disposed forward projection fitting in a vertical slot in the slide, the construction and arrangement being such that the lug 342 may be initially secured in different heightwise positions to the slide 86. The cam 338 has threaded into it the screw 340 which passes through an elongated slot in the lug 342, the construction and arrangement being such that the cam may be secured in different positions lengthwise of a channel 348 of the lug. Journaled on the shaft 308 just below the bearing 310 is a thrust bearing 349 a lower raceway of which is in engagement with a spring 354. Supported by a nut 350 threaded onto the lower end of the shaft 308 is a marginally beveled cam disk 352 which is forced against the nut by the spring 354.

When the slide is in its retracted or starting position at the-left end of the guideway 300, as viewed from the front of the machine, the shaft 308 is in a lowered position, the teeth 316 of the coupling sleeve 318 then engaging in the recesses 314 of the coupling ring 312 of the pinion 306, the shaft, which is constantly urged downward by the spring 354, having been positively lowered to a predetermined position by reason of the disk 352 having been overridden by an eccentrically mounted depressor pin 356 adjustably mounted in a bearing bracket 358 which is secured by the use of screws 360 to the slide 86 and moves along a transverse horizontal slot 362 formed in the main frame 104. The bracket 358 extends through a slot 359, which is formed in the slide 86 and along which the bracket may be moved into different adjusted positions on the slide, and has threaded into it a screw 361 for securing the depressor pin 356 in its proper adjusted position in the bracket. In order to retain, during translatory movement of the slide 86 to the right and to the left respectively, the shaft 308 in a lowered driving position and a raised nondriving position, the shaft is provided with lower and upper circumferential channels 364, 364a which may be moved selectively into alinement with spring-'pressed plungers 366 carried by the bearing 310.

The depressor pin 356 may be secured to the slide 86 in different adjusted positions lengthwise of the guideways 300 by releasing the screws 360 and sliding the bracket 358 lengthwise along the slot 359 of the slide 86, the adjustment being such that when the slide returns to its retracted position shown in Figs. l and 8 the pin serves positively to depress the. shaft 308, causing the teeth 316, which are then in register with the recesses 314 in the 

